Improvement in liquid and gas meters



UNITED "STATE s PATENT y OEEIcE.

D. B'RAINERD SPOONER, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YDRK.

IMPROVEMENT IN LIQUID AND GAS METERS.

Specification forming part oi Letters Patent No. 113,591, dated April11, 1871.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, D. BRAINERD SPOONER, of Syracuse, in the county ot'Onondaga and State of N ew York, hav-e invented a new and usefulImprovement in Liquid and Gas Meters; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,

which will enable those skilled in the art to -make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of thisspecification, in which the view is a central vertical section of thecap of the meter and of the improved valveoperating devices containedtherein.

This invention relates more particularly to thatolass of meters known asdiaphragmmeters,77 but is also applicable to all otherV meters that havevalves that require a sudden impulse or` movement to change the flowfrom one compartment or conduit to another and the invention consists inan air-chamber having two elast-icor iiexible diaphragms placed in itswalls opposite to each other, and connected in their action bya rodrunning through the chamber, one of its diaphragms having a largerworking` area than theother, so that any pressure on the outside ofliquid or gas causes the larger diaphragm to outbalance the smaller one,and thereby give an elastic bearing or movement'that is substituted withadvantage in place of the actuating springs or weights commonly used inmeters for obtaining a sudden change or movement of the..

valves, as hereinafter more fully explained.

In the accompanying drawing only the cap of the meter is shown, oi'which A is the shell or case. B is the ordinary slide-valve, having achanging apex, b. L L are `an ti-friction rollers for the spindle, and Eis the apex roller, that is pressed down by the spindle C c.

Heretofore the spindle C c has usually received` the required downwardpressure from a coiled metallic spring but I mount on the top of theyoke D an air-chamber, F, that is formed by a cylinder or vessel, ff,that is made open at both ends; but said ends are closed by flexiblediaphragms G g, so that the air-chamber Fis perfectly tight, and any airthat is imprisoned therein after the parts are once together remainsthere permanently, the upper diaphragm, G, being screwed down upon thecasef f by a cap or screw-ring, H, and the lower diaphragm being clampedupon the lower end of the case f by a similar screwcap, h.

The spindle C passes through the center of the lower diaphragm; but atight joint is made by a nut, I, that clamps the center of saiddiaphragm g down upon a shoulder of the spindle O.

A disk of metal, J, is mounted on the 4upper end of the spindle c as abearing for the upper diaphragm to push upon said spindle c. The upperpart of the spindle is supported or steadied by a collar, K, that isheld up within the air-chamber by arms or braces 7c 7c.

Its operation is as follows: The diaphragm or the piston of the meter,as it moves forward with a uniform speed, gives motionI to the yoke D,which, in turn, draws the rollerE to the apex of the valve B. As theroller mounts the apex the spindle C c is forced upward, and as it risesmustV lift the large diaphragm G against the outside pressure of theliquid or gas, and as soonas the roller E has balanced over the apex ofthe valve, the said outside pressure on the greater area of diaphragm Grforces the roll down the incline of the apex, changing the valve.

The lower diaphragm, g, is used merely to make the air-chamber tightwithout the aid of a stuihng-box, and the diaphragm Gr is made-` largeenough to balance g and give a surplusn of pressure equal t0 changingthe valve.

lf the larger diaphragm has only one square inch more of working-surfacethan the smaller one, and if the pressure of uid in the meter isthirty-five pounds, then the working force of the device is about equaltothat of a spring that would sustain thirty-five poundi.

The air-chamber is ordinarily closed with the air in it at atmosphericpressure; but it may be necessary to exhaust a portion of it for lightpressures.

Anti-friction rolls may be provided for the upper part of the spindle toprevent cramping,

and a light spring may be used, placing it around the spindle betweenthe collar vK and shoulder or nutI, for getting a quick motion under lowpressures. This, however, has not been `found necessary with anypressure at which it has been used.

An air or vacuum chamber, F, formed by'a cylinder or vessel, f f, vandby two exible diaphragms, Gr g, acting with each other in theirmovement, and being of unequal working areas,

for supplying the power to aetuate or throw the valves of liquid or gasmeters.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 9th day ofMarch, 1871..

.l D. B. SPOONER. Witnesses:

C. M. GROW, F. A. MORLEY.

